Method and Apparatus for Heating and Cooling

ABSTRACT

A method for installing heat transfer panels and a heat transfer panel assembly having angled louvers for greater and more uniform dissipation of a convected heat transfer medium, such as air. The heat transfer panel assembly providing a broader and more uniform heat transfer means to affected surfaces, and the method of installation providing a simpler and quicker means for installation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a heat transfer panel which isattached to tubing carrying a heat transfer liquid. More particularly,the present invention is directed to a heat transfer panel that directsthe convection heat in specific directions and the heat transfer panelcan be easily affixed to either plastic or metal tubing and easilyinstalled into building structures in any available position. As usedherein, the term “heat transfer” encompasses heat exchange for bothheating and cooling purposes. For example, the heat transfer tubingcould contain heated water for heating or a refrigerant for cooling.

The installation of heat transfer panels attached to heat transfertubing in walls, floors and ceilings are well known. For example, U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,799,723; 5,743,330; 5,454,428; 5,078,203; and 4,646,814 alldisclose installations for heat transfer tubing and heat transfer panelswithin structures. Of the various types of radiant heating systems, oneof the more popular types utilizes a heated liquid such as water whichis pumped through a closed loop piping system. The closed loop piping istypically mounted in close contact with a floor for Radiant FloorHeating (RFH) or to a wall for Radiant Wall Heating (RWH). Generally,the piping runs parallel to the floor joists or wall studs. Attached tothe piping at various intervals are flat radiant panels that abut thesub-flooring or the inner walls to enhance the radiation of heat fromthe closed loop piping to the floor or wall.

The liquid is typically heated by a boiler and when a thermostatindicates the need for heat, a pump forces the heated liquid to travelthrough the piping. Typically, the boiler heated liquid is mixed withthe return liquid at a rate designed to control the heated liquid in theclosed loop piping at a predetermined temperature. This necessitatesvarious valves and control systems. As the heated liquid travels throughthe piping, heat is conducted from the liquid to the piping, from thepiping to the radiant panels and from the radiant panels to the flooringand/or the walls either by direct contact or by convection with thesurrounding air.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,603 to Macduff discloses a wall and/or floorhydronic heating system that has the heat tubing and heat radiatingpanels mounted a short distance below the subflooring or wall surfaceand running perpendicular to the floor joists or wall studs. Accordingto this patent, mounting the tubing and radiation panels below theflooring obviates the possibility of damage to the tubing by unawareindividuals driving fasteners into the floor. This patent also statesthat mounting the tubing and radiation panels away from the flooring orwalls obviates the traditional “hot spots” found on the prior artsystems.

The heat transfer panels of U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,603 consists of twoidentical parts that are clipped together over the tubing. Each part hasa conduit gripping part and a heat radiating part. The conduit grippingpart is a groove formed to the contour of one half of a longitudinalsection of the tubing. The heat radiating part is louvered to facilitatea circulation of air through the heat radiating part. This heatradiating part promotes circulation of the air in the subfloor spacewhich in turn promotes an even and rapid convection of heat from theradiating fin to the subfloor surface thereby reducing the “hot spots”on the flooring and/or walls. FIG. 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,603 showsthe convection currents from the heat radiating panels to beperpendicular to the heat radiating panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a simple andinexpensive heat transfer panel that overcomes limitations in the priorart.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a heat transferpanel that can direct the flow of air to provide for a greaterdissipation of heat or cooling to a structure's surface.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide both a broaderarea and more even heat transfer to a room, floor, wall and/or ceiling.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a one piece heattransfer panel that is easily installed onto new and/or existing heatingor cooling lines.

These and other objects are achieved with a heat transfer panel whichhas a single tube gripping section along the center length of the panel,self contained retaining clips and louvered fins on either side of thetube gripping section. The single tube gripping section being adapted toengage the tubing in close contact in order to promote heat transferbetween the tubing and the heat transfer panel. The louvered fins areangled on either side of the tube gripping section in such a manner asto direct the air passing through the louvers to be angled away from thecenterline of the tubing and onto a broader area of the surface desiredto be heated or cooled.

The invention therefore provides a simplified heat transfer panelwhereby a closed loop system is installed under a floor, in a ceiling orbehind a wall. The heat transfer panels being snapped onto the closedloop tubing and the retaining clips bent into place. As the heating orcooling material in the closed loop tubing passes through the tubing,the heat transfer panels attached to the tubing exchange heat with thesurrounding air in the direction of the angled louvers thereby eitherwarming or cooling the subfloor, wall and/or ceiling surface over alarger surface area and with more even heat or cold dissipation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail herein below with reference tofigures, which merely illustrate exemplary embodiments and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a heat transfer panel assembly inaccordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the end of the heat transfer panel,

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view along A-A through the heat transferpanel of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 shows a schematic of the convection currents promoted by the heattransfer panel shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the inventionas illustrated in the drawings. Although the invention is described inconnection with the drawings, there is no intent to limit the inventionto the embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intent is toinclude all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included withinthe scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 shows a top isometric view of a heat transfer panel assembly 1according to the invention. The heat transfer panel assembly 1 consistsof a heat transfer panel 2 and a plurality of retainer bars 3. The heattransfer panel 2 is preferably made of an efficient thermal conductingmaterial such as aluminum, steel, copper, plastic or the like. The heattransfer panel 2 consists of a conduit gripping part 4 and a heatexchanger part 5. The heat transfer panel 2 is clipped around theheating and/or cooling conduit 6 at the conduit gripping part 4. Theconduit 6 being installed at a distance from a wall, floor and/orceiling surface (not shown) such that there is an air gap between theinstalled heat transfer panel 1 and the said wall, floor and/or ceilingsurface to allow for the circulation of heated or cooled air. The saidheated or cooled air being utilized to heat or cool a wall, floor,ceiling and/or to heat or cool the air in a room.

Once the heat transfer panel 2 is in position on the heating and/orcooling conduit 6, the retainer bars 3 are placed on the top side of theheat transfer panel 2 extending past the outer edges 7 and 8 of the heattransfer panel 2 and over the outer side of the heating and/or coolingconduit 6. The ends 9 of the retainer bars 3 are then bend over tosecure the retainer bars 3 and the heating and/or cooling conduit 6 tothe heat transfer panel 2.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one end of the heat transfer panel 2. Theconduit gripping part 4 may be formed as a 180 degree semi-circle or asa semi-circle greater than 180 degrees as shown in FIG. 2 to aid inretaining the heating and/or cool conduit 6 in place in the heattransfer panel 2. The end view of the heat exchanger part 5 also showthe end view of the heat transfer fins or louvers 10 that are part ofthe heat exchanger parts 5.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the heat transfer panel 2 takenalong line A-A of FIG. 1. As shown, the fins or louvers 10 are formed atan angle of roughly 60 degrees to the plane of the heat transfer panel2, although angles other than 60 degrees would be entirely conceivablewithin the purview of the present invention without detracting from thescope and spirit of the invention.

By angling the fins or louvers 10 in the heat transfer panel 2, theconvection currents 11 shown in FIG. 4 that transfer the heatdifferential between the surrounding air and the heat transfer panel 2are directed to flow in a direction other than 90 degrees to the heattransfer panel 2. This enables the heated (or cooled) air to disperseitself in an area greater than would be covered by a heat transfer panel2 with the fins or louvers 10 set at 90 degrees to the heat transferpanel 2 plane. As such, a larger surface area of a room, floor, wall,ceiling or other structure (not shown) to be heated or cooled isaffected. This dispersion of heated or cooled air not only provides alarger surface area of coverage, but also reduces hot spots in thesurface area and provides more uniform heating or cooling to the roomair or larger surface area to be affected.

In addition, the fins or louvers 10 can be spaced such that the fins orlouvers 10 near the center of the heat transfer panel 2 are spacedfarther apart than the fins or louvers 10 near the outer ends of theheat transfer panel 2. This embodiment has the advantage of providing aneven amount of convected air being directed at the desired surface areathus providing more uniform heating or cooling over a wider surface areawith the additional result of further reducing the occurrence of hotspots.

The method for installing this invention is also of benefit to theinstaller. Current methods require two half-panels that are fitted aboutthe heat transfer conduit 6 and then manually held in place while thetwo separate panels are riveted together about the conduit. Thisexisting method requires a multitude of rivets, or other fasteningdevices, a riveting or fastening tool and the skills required to holdthe pieces in place while riveting the pieces together.

The new method utilizes a flat retainer bar 3, preferably made of thesame material as the heat transfer panel. The retainer bar 3 is easilyformable with hand and/or finger pressure. During installation, theinstaller simply places the heat exchanger panel 2 onto the conduit 6and then places a retainer bar 3 over the conduit 6 and over the sides 7and 8 of the heat transfer panel 2. The installer then bends the twoends 9 of the retainer bar 3 over the edges 7 and 8 of the heat transferpanel 2 thereby containing and fixing the heat transfer panel 2 to theconduit 6. Two or more retainer bars 3 can be used for each heatexchange panel 2.

This new method of heat exchanger installation thereby eliminates theuse of fasteners or rivets, the fastening or riveting tools, the dualpanel halves and the skill required to hold the assembly in place andfasten the unit onto a heat transfer conduit. As such, this method ofinstallation requires less operator skill, fewer parts and tools, isfaster and more economical than the existing methods.

1. A room, wall, ceiling and/or under floor heat transfer panelconnected to a heat transfer pipe that is mounted at a sufficientdistance from a said wall, ceiling and/or floor so as to provide an airgap between the said heat transfer panel and the said wall, floor and/orceiling, the improvement comprising having the heat transfer fins beingangled away from the longitudinal center of the said heat transfer panelthereby causing the circulation of air to flow in a direction other thanperpendicular to the said heat transfer panel.
 2. The improvementaccording to claim 1, wherein the said air is any other gas or liquidmedium utilized for the transfer of heat.
 3. A means for attaching aheat transfer panel to a heat transfer conduit comprising the steps of:a. pressing the conduit gripping part of the said heat transfer panelonto the said heat transfer conduit; b. placing one or a plurality offlat retainer bars over the top of the said heat transfer panel with thesaid heat transfer conduit contained therein; and c. bending the ends ofthe said flat retainer bars over the sides of the said heat transferpanel thereby securing the said heat transfer panel to the said heattransfer conduit.
 4. An apparatus for attaching and transferring heatfrom a heat transfer conduit to a room and/or a surface area comprising:a. a heat transfer conduit, said heat transfer conduit having heated orcooled liquid running through the said conduit; b. a heat transferpanel, said panel having a conduit gripping portion which is placed overthe said heat transfer conduit thereby transferring heat to or from thesaid heat transfer conduit to the said heat transfer panel, said heattransfer panel then transferring heat to or from the said heat transferpanel to the air surrounding the said heat transfer panel, said air thentransferring heat to or from the said surrounding air to the said roomand/or said surface areas; and c. retaining bars that are bent to clipover the sides of the said heat transfer panel and secure the said heattransfer conduit into the said heat transfer panel gripping portion. 5.The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the said heat transfer panelhas heat transfer fins formed into the said heat transfer panel, saidfins being formed at an angle greater than horizontal to the plane ofthe said heat transfer panel and less than perpendicular to the plane ofthe said heat transfer panel and angled away from the horizontal centerline of the said heat transfer panel.
 6. The apparatus as recited in anyone of claims 4 or 5, wherein the said air is any other gas or liquidmedium utilized for the transfer of heat.
 7. A means for transferringheated or cooled air to a room and/or a surface area that is larger thanthe surface area of the heat transfer panel, comprising the steps of: a.forming a heat transfer panel with means for gripping a heat transferconduit; b. forming the said heat transfer panel with heat transfer finsangled at greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees fromthe plane of the said heat transfer panel; c. attaching the said heattransfer panel by the said gripping means to the said heat transferconduit; d. securing the said heat transfer panel to the said heattransfer conduit by means of one or more retainer bars that are bentover the sides of the said heat transfer panel thereby trapping the saidheat transfer conduit into the said gripping means of the said heattransfer panel; and e. providing a means for flowing heated or cooledliquid through the said heat transfer conduit, said conduit transferringheat to or from the said heat transfer panel, said heat transfer paneltransferring heat to or from the heat transfer fins, said heat transferfins transferring heat to or from the said air surrounding the said heattransfer fins, said air transferring heat to or from the said air to thesaid room and/or said surface area.
 8. The means according to claim 7,wherein the said air is any other gas or liquid medium utilized for thetransfer of heat.